America will Pay More in Taxes in 2015 than it Will Spend on Food, Clothing, and Housing Combined

In 2015, America will pay $3.3 trillion in taxes to the federal government and an additional $1.5 trillion to state and local government. America’s total tax bill of $4.8 trillion is about 31 percent of the nation’s total income.

This is a significant amount and is more than America will spend on food, clothing, and housing combined.

No doubt that the taxes we pay go towards services that government provides, but it is important to understand how much those services cost the United States.

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The Tax Foundation is the nation’s leading independent tax policy research organization. Since 1937, our principled research, insightful analysis, and engaged experts have informed smarter tax policy at the federal, state, and local levels. We improve lives through tax policy research and education that leads to greater economic growth and opportunity.